What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N997MA, a 1997 PA-46-350P, was returning to kuao under VFR after an instructional flight. PIC was privacy data omitted holder of commercial pilot certificate privacy data omitted and flight instructor certificate privacy data omitted. privacy data omitted Was occupying the right pilot seat. The privacy data omitted of the aircraft, privacy data omitted holder of private pilot certificate privacy data omitted, was occupying the left seat and was manipulating the controls. privacy data omitted Was undergoing dual instruction to obtain his commercial pilot certificate.
privacy data omitted Reports that CFI privacy data omitted recommended practicing a power-off 180° accuracy approach and landing to runway 35 at kvuo. Winds at the time were calm. He reports that they discussed the maneuver prior to executing at approximately 1,200 feet, configured with flaps 20 and airspeed 80-90 knots. privacy data omitted Reports reducing power to idle abeam the 1,000-foot runway markings and starting a left turn to base leg. He states that he became aware that they would not reach the runway. He remembers the airplane pitching left at a steep angle, and he then pulled up and added right rudder. He states that he does not remember the impact nor if he added power.
Airport video showed the aircraft turning final at low level, first undershooting final, then making a shallow left turn to align with the runway centerline. During the shallow left turn, the aircraft abruptly pitched down and dropped right-wing low consistent with a stall. The right wing struck the localizer antenna 1,000 feet short of runway 35. The aircraft yawed in a clockwise direction and came to rest approximately 100 feet in front of the antenna and 900 feet short of the runway 35 threshold. The right wing separated from the fuselage.
Both occupants suffered serious injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed. Upon inspection of the wreckage, all four propeller blades had disintegrated, and the flaps and flap handle were both in the up position.
Neither occupant has been able to participate in the investigation due to injuries.
As the FAA filed it
N997MA, A 1997 PA-46-350P, WAS RETURNING TO KUAO UNDER VFR AFTER AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. PIC WAS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HOLDER OF COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS OCCUPYING THE RIGHT PILOT SEAT. THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF THE AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HOLDER OF PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS OCCUPYING THE LEFT SEAT AND WAS MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS UNDERGOING DUAL INSTRUCTION TO OBTAIN HIS COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORTS THAT CFI ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RECOMMENDED PRACTICING A POWER-OFF 180° ACCURACY APPROACH AND LANDING TO RUNWAY 35 AT KVUO. WINDS AT THE TIME WERE CALM. HE REPORTS THAT THEY DISCUSSED THE MANEUVER PRIOR TO EXECUTING AT APPROXIMATELY 1,200 FEET, CONFIGURED WITH FLAPS 20 AND AIRSPEED 80-90 KNOTS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORTS REDUCING POWER TO IDLE ABEAM THE 1,000-FOOT RUNWAY MARKINGS AND STARTING A LEFT TURN TO BASE LEG. HE STATES THAT HE BECAME AWARE THAT THEY WOULD NOT REACH THE RUNWAY. HE REMEMBERS THE AIRPLANE PITCHING LEFT AT A STEEP ANGLE, AND HE THEN PULLED UP AND ADDED RIGHT RUDDER. HE STATES THAT HE DOES NOT REMEMBER THE IMPACT NOR IF HE ADDED POWER.
AIRPORT VIDEO SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT TURNING FINAL AT LOW LEVEL, FIRST UNDERSHOOTING FINAL, THEN MAKING A SHALLOW LEFT TURN TO ALIGN WITH THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. DURING THE SHALLOW LEFT TURN, THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY PITCHED DOWN AND DROPPED RIGHT-WING LOW CONSISTENT WITH A STALL. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE LOCALIZER ANTENNA 1,000 FEET SHORT OF RUNWAY 35. THE AIRCRAFT YAWED IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET IN FRONT OF THE ANTENNA AND 900 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY 35 THRESHOLD. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE.
BOTH OCCUPANTS SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE, ALL FOUR PROPELLER BLADES HAD DISINTEGRATED, AND THE FLAPS AND FLAP HANDLE WERE BOTH IN THE UP POSITION.
NEITHER OCCUPANT HAS BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INVESTIGATION DUE TO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N997MA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.